How much money goes unused in the form of spare change leftover on transit cards around the world? One invention would allow those fares to go to charity instead of washing away in the laundry or at the bottom of the dump.
Sydney Brownstone shares news of a system invented by a London-to-New York transplant named Zander Whitehurst to transfer leftover transit fares to charity. To use the system, "subway riders can simply swipe their cards against a special RFID-reading panel to donate extra change. Tapping the Oyster Card against a “” [sic] panel relieves it of 50 pence, while continuing to press the card against the panel drains the Oyster Card fully."
The RFID strip that enables Whitehurst's invention is not yet available on New York City's Metro cards, but London's Oyster Card would work just fine—if, that is, London's transport authority granted permission for the technology to work.
FULL STORY: Now You Can Donate Your Leftover Subway Fare To Charity, With A Simple Swipe
The Benefits of Transit Fare Capping
There's more than one way to incentive transit ridership with fare capping.
In China, One Transit Card for 260 Cities
A single fare card grants access to public transit rides in 260 Chinese cities.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Overhauling Fare System to Improve User Experience
The changes to DART's fare system will target improvements in the user experience for residents without bank accounts or enough cash to buy monthly passes—i.e., some of the people who need transit most.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service